“The Citizen's Petition reflects Vermont's spirit of pragmatism and across-the-board cooperation. I applaud the 'Campaign to Fix the Debt' for calling attention to one of the country's most pressing problems, our ballooning national debt, and for urging policymakers to find practical solutions.” CountryProblemSpiritAttentionCitizensCallingSolutionsDebtCampaignsPracticalsBoardsCooperationPragmatismPetitionsNational DebtVermont Author:Peter Welch
“As a result of our [my campaign's] discussions and other interactions with gay and lesbian voters across the state, I am more convinced than ever that as we seek to establish full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent [Ted Kennedy].” StatesAmericaResultsCitizensGayConvincedCampaignsDiscussionVotersInteractionEffective LeadershipTed Kennedy Author:Mitt Romney
“We have to judge presidents not only by the long-term consequences of their actions but also by how they make citizens in their own day feel. One reason that Nixon never succeeded in his comeback campaign is that he had such a negative impact on public trust at the time of his presidency.” FeelsLongReasonActionPresidentTermJudgingCitizensConsequenceNegativeImpactCampaignsLong TermPresidencyComebackPublic Trust Author:David Greenberg
“No matter where you are on politics, I think it is wonderful to see candidates funding campaigns not by talking to a very small number of very rich people, but by reaching out to a very large number of citizens.” PeopleThinkingMatterNumbersTalkingRichWonderfulCitizensCampaignsCandidatesReachingWhere You AreReach OutFundingRich PeopleLarge NumbersSmall Numbers Author:David Brooks
“The role of campaign contributions in our political system and the role of lobbyists have now reached levels that are quite unhealthy for the operations of our democracy. But the antidote, as in past eras of lobbyist excess, is for more involvement by citizens to build pressure on members of the House and Senate to serve the public interest.” PastPoliticalHouseInterestLevelsRolesDemocracyCitizensMembersPressureCampaignsErasOperationsContributionExcessSenateInvolvementAntidoteUnhealthyPolitical SystemsPublic InterestLobbyistsCampaign Contributions Author:Al Gore
“On the subject of money and politics and the rest, I have a DARE: Disclose who are these people; Amend the Constitution to overturn Citizens United; Reform: let's have public financing of campaigns; and Empower.” PeopleUnitedSubjectsCitizensConstitutionDareCampaignsReformEmpoweringFinancingCitizens United Author:Nancy Pelosi
“It is a privilege to join the campaign to support Bradley Manning for his courage and integrity in serving his country by helping make the government accountable to its citizens, and to inform the world of what its people should know.” PeopleKnowsWorldShouldCountryHelpingGovernmentSupportCitizensIntegrityPrivilegeCampaignsServingBradley Manning Author:Noam Chomsky
“This is the deadening consensus that crosses party lines, that dominates our major media, and that is strangling the liberty and prosperity that were once the birthright of Americans. Dissenters who tell their fellow citizens what is really going on are subject to smear campaigns that, like clockwork, are aimed at the political heretic. Truth is treason in the empire of lies.” PoliticalLyingLinesPartyLibertySubjectsMediaCitizensTruth IsMajorsCrossesFellowsProsperityCampaignsEmpiresConsensusTreasonBirthrightHereticClockworkStranglingSmear Campaigns Author:Ron Paul
“It is true that I voted against the National Defense Authorization Act, because when I campaigned in Texas I told voters in Texas that I would oppose the federal government having the authority to detain U.S. citizens permanently with no due process. I have repeatedly supported an effort to take that out of that bill, and I honored that campaign commitment.” GovernmentProcessEffortCitizensAuthorityCommitmentBillsDuesDefenseCampaignsVotersTexasFederal GovernmentHonoredNational DefenseDue Process Author:Ted Cruz
“Because the people of New Hampshire take their responsibilities as citizens of the Republic seriously, they keep it interesting for candidates who, believe it or not, can get a little tired of the mannered, predictable, and unimaginative qualities that typically afflict modern political campaigns.” PeopleBelieveLittlesPoliticalInterestingQualityResponsibilityModernCitizensTiredCampaignsCandidatesRepublicPredictableHampshireNew HampshirePolitical Campaign Author:John McCain
“We have our nominee, and it's is Secretary [Hillary] Clinton. I do hope that Secretary Clinton will take into account the huge resonance of the vision that Senator ["Bernie"] Sanders was putting forward.This has inspired millions of citizens - a style of campaign we've never seen before winning 22 states, extraordinary number of caucuses. Now the challenge is to bring the two halves of the party together.” TwoStatesTogetherWinningChallengesPartyNumbersHalfVisionMillionsStyleHugeCitizensAccountsClintonExtraordinaryInspiredCampaignsSecretarySenatorsResonanceCaucus Author:Jeff Merkley
“Politically, as a result of Citizens United, billionaires are now able to spend as much money as they want on campaigns, which means that you have a political system which is heavily dominated by corporations and wealthy individuals.” WantMeanAblePoliticalIndividualUnitedResultsCitizensCampaignsCorporationsWealthyBillionairePolitical SystemsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“I think that the influence of people with power and money to distort democracy and have their interests served before the rest of the population is the biggest problem. That is caused by two things: campaign finance and the way that's structured, and by the Citizen's United supreme court decision. So those two things are keeping democracy from working right.” PeopleThinkingWayTwoProblemInterestDecisionUnitedDemocracyInfluenceCitizensCourtPopulationCampaignsSupremeFinanceTwo ThingsSupreme CourtCampaign FinanceCourt Decision Author:Shepard Fairey
“The Baltic republics have invented something totally new. Do you know what? They use the word 'non-citizens' for people who have been living for decades in the territory of Baltic states and have been deprived of a number of political rights. They cannot participate in the election campaigns; they have limited political and social rights. Everybody keeps quiet about it, as if this is the way it should be. Of course, this cannot but cause a certain reaction.” PeopleIfsKnowsWayShouldHas BeensStatesUsePoliticalCertainCoursesSocialCausesNumbersRightsCitizensQuietElectionDecadesCampaignsReactionsDo You KnowRepublicTerritoryDeprivedPolitical Rights Author:Vladimir Putin
“There are three major political organizations in this country: the Republican Party, the Democratic Party and the Koch Brothers Party. With billions to spend on campaigns. think tanks and 'educational' organizations, the Koch brothers are the most powerful. We must overturn Citizens United, move to public funding of elections and pass real tax reform.” ThinkingRealCountryMovingPoliticalThreeUnitedPowerfulPartyBrotherCitizensRepublicanTaxesMajorsOrganizationElectionDemocraticEducationalBillionsCampaignsReformMost PowerfulRepublican PartyDemocratic PartyFundingTanksTax ReformCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders
“What's interesting is this election year has made the citizen groups off-limits. All these citizen groups? - local, state, national? - that really do things and improve the country, they're never asked to be in these electoral campaign discussions.” YearsMadeCountryStatesInterestingGroupsCitizensLimitsElectionCampaignsLocalsDiscussionElection Years Author:Ralph Nader
“A Russian citizen who worked for the [Donald] Trump campaign manager in Ukraine, worked for Paul Manafort when Manafort was working in Ukraine, that Russian citizen visited the United States around the time of the Republican convention.” StatesUnitedUnited StatesTrumpCitizensRepublicanCampaignsManagersConventionsUkraine Author:Rachel Maddow
“I have introduced a constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and make it clear that the Congress and state legislatures do have the ability and the power to regulate and get corporate funding out of political campaigns.” StatesPoliticalAbilityUnitedClearCitizensCongressCampaignsCorporateAmendmentsFundingLegislaturePolitical CampaignState LegislaturesConstitutional AmendmentsCitizens United Author:Bernie Sanders